Correspondence
by travelinchick07
Summary: A simple correspondence to help out family turns into something much more...Rated M for some mature themes, loss and illness.
1. Chapter 1

First long fic I have ever written. It is an adapted version of a story I wrote last year, the writing is pretty poor so any constructive criticism is welcome!

In a small, worn apartment, a tall young woman paced about, anxiously staring at the laptop on the desk in the corner of the room. Her hair was a mess after having her long thin fingers run through it, swayed with each step. She walked over and sat down on the black swivel chair in front of the laptop, nervously jiggling her leg. She leaned back and forth, tapping various rhythms on the table top, worried thoughts racing through her mind.

Her laptop sang a tune at her, alerting her that she has a new message.

'_Could this be it? Is this what I've been waiting the last two weeks for?_' she thought, continuously bringing her hand forward to the mouse, only to jerk it back quickly.

Looking out the window, she watched the people on the street weave amongst each other, some with haste, and others leisurely strolling with not a care in the world.

'_I wish my life was like that._'

Sighing she leaned back in her chair, mind drifting off to what could have been. What should have been.

Finally, after five minutes of to-ing and fro-ing with mouse, and day dreaming out the window, she bit the bullet and opened up a browser to check her mail. Staring at the blank screen as the computer loads her page, dozens of hopes and worries crossed her mind.

'_What if he says no?_' she worries.

'_Ah, but what if he says yes?_' the more hopeful side in her countered.

'_Look, you'll never know until you check!_' finished her reasoning part.

Slowly, the computer loaded the page.

She sighed with disappointment as she reads the e-mail from facebook that said that some one who she didn't know had commented on a status she didn't even remember liking.

She forcefully slides back from the desk and resumed her pacing; thrusting her fingers through her long wavy black hair. Glancing around the room, her eyes zeroed in on the clock.

'_1.17pm? Ah crap! I was supposed to meet Emmett for lunch at McDonalds 20minutes ago!_'

And with that thought fresh in her mind, she grabbed the necessities, hastily threw them into a weathered, once navy, shoulder bag and ran out the door, slamming it shut and jerking it to make sure it was locked.

McDonalds was flushed with energy when the girl walked in. People buzzed about intermixing with each other, swapping quick anecdotes, apologies and offers of thanks. Her hair blew back slightly as she opened the door and walked into the main room.

"Hey Bella, over here!" a pale, thin boy called from the left, beckoning the girl over.

"Hey Em, sorry I am so late, I completely lost track of Time" Bella smiled apologetically, leaning in to embrace her little brother.

"Nah, it's all cool Bella. You just owe me an ice-cream. No debates." The younger boy chuckled. "So what's new with you?"

"The usual, lectures, assignments, lectures, assignments, did I mention lectures?" Bella replied with a grim smile, "and yourself?"

"Well I may or may not have gotten 43/45 on a trigonometry test, and maybe gone to the movies with Rosalie Hale…" Emmett stated, beaming with delight.

"Really? That's fantastic Em! I am so proud of you!" Bella said enthusiastically, jumping up to encase Emmett in another hug. "Wait, Rosalie Hale, as in the Rosalie Hale? As in the most popular girl and current crush of Emmett Swann, Rosalie Hale?!?" she asked, leaning back to check his face for signs of mischief.

"Shh! Don't say that so loudly! And yes, that's her"

"Wow! Congratulations play-er" Bella replied, accentuating the last syllable and bopping her head.

"Oh my god, you did not just do or say that!"

"I believe I did. And shall again, player-er!"

"Shut up Bella! You are so embarrassing!" Emmett replied, blushing furiously

"Aww you know you love me. Wait, are you blushing?"

"No" he mumbled, hiding his face in his arms.

"Oh my god, you so are!" she announced, leaning in closer to get a better look

"God just shut up!"

"Emmett and Rosalie sitting in a…" Bella began in a sing song voice but was cut off as Emmett threw a nugget at her.

"I knew I should have never brought it up!" 

"Ok, ok, I'll stop. You really like her huh?"

"Yeah, I really kinda do. She doesn't look at me with pity like everyone else does, ya know? She speaks to me freely like a normal kid" he replied, staring straight into Bella's clear green eyes.

"Yeah I understand, you done eating?" Bella asked, stealing a chip, shoving it into her mouth and scrunching up the paper bag.

"Yep, let's go." Emmett agreed, throwing the rubbish in the bin and following Bella out the door.

"Just one more thing Em…" Bella turned around to look at Emmett, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"What." Emmett eyed her warily, not sure what his older sister was planning.

"Emmett and Rosalie, E.R how cute! Em and Rosalie sitting in a tree…" she announced, gleefully dodging Emmett's swipes.

"Even the tiniest bit of information in your hands is deadly!" he replied playfully punching her arm as they began to walk to their parent's home.

It was around 10:00 pm when Bella returned to her shabby apartment. She dropped her keys on the dented wooden end table by her door. Flicking on the lights, she shrugged out of her jacket and plopped down on the couch to watch TV.

Absolutely exhausted from late nights studying and a busy day with Em and her parents, she soon fell asleep.

Her mind became lost, wishes and memories merging into one joyous dream. Images danced across her mind in flashes; scenes of her mother and her step father in a big house, celebrating the expansion of her Mothers boutique, herself happy with a job in the inner city, and most of all her brother. Happy and complete free of illness, able to do whatever he wants. The pictures flashed forward, to a BMX competition.

Cameras flashed all around, like dozens of tiny stars dancing around the crowd. The room was buzzing with excitement and murmurs as a lone figure moved up to the ramp.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please!" called a deep male voice over the loud speaker. The crowd quietened down, the sounds of cameras clicking continuing on.  
"Next up in the freestyle section is Sydney born boy, Emmett Swann!"

A deafening roar filled the stadium as the crowd leapt to their feet, cheering on Emmett.

All of a sudden, black threads wormed their way into Bella's dream, forming a blockage in the middle of the ramp. Everyone remained oblivious to the deadly blockade and Bella tried to run forward to warn Emmett, but she couldn't get through, the crowd shoves her back, enveloping her in a mass of body heat, helpless to save her brother.

A sickening thud echoed through the stadium and everything shuts down for a minute. Bella screamed out in agony, pushing through to her brother, clutching at her chest and retching when she sees his crumpled body.

"No…' she whispered, climbing over the barriers to run to her little brother.

"I'm sorry miss, but you can't come any further." stated an Official, as he blocks her path to Emmett.

"NO! I'm his sister, let me through!" Bella screamed, hysterically beating at the official's chest

"She's clearly insane, take her away" the official said, beckoning over two bodyguards.

"NOOO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! PUT ME DOWN, HE NEEDS ME" Bella screamed as the bodyguards pulled her away, the scene receding into darkness.

She was woken out of her dream by her computer, singing the familiar tune that tells her she has a new message. Heart still pounding from the nightmare, she stumbled over to the laptop and lifts the lid, flinching away from the bright light.

The screen slowly came into focus and she gasps as she read who it was from. Quickly, she grabbed for the mouse and clicked on the message, twitching with anticipation.

Dear Ms Swann,

I am very sorry to tell you, but we are unable to _acquiesce to your request of a personally signed poster due to scheduling conflicts and safety issues._

_Mr. Cullen and all of us here at Cullen Bikes wish you all the best, and hope that your brother has a good and long life._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Jasper Whitlock,_

_Public Representative_

"No…this…no…" she murmured, hands pressed to her face.

_You knew this was a long shot, why would Edward Cullen, BMX extraordinaire, care about some 19 year old girl and her HIV infected brother?_

With cruel thoughts like that whirring through her mind, she sunk to her knees on the floor, and cried herself to sleep, her dreams focused on that one, useless night two weeks ago.

She had sat staring at the same website for nearly an hour now. It was Edward Cullen's, American BMX legend and her brother's idol. Emmett had been having a rough Time of it lately, and she hoped that she would be able to get Edward to personally sign a poster addressed to Emmett for Emmett's birthday in two months.

_Just do it. E-mail him and ask, what's the worst that could happen? He says no?_

Tentatively, she reached forward to click on the 'Contact Edward' button. Her dial up slowly loaded the page.

_Great, now what are you going to say?_

Dear Edward,

_No, that's too formal._

Backspacing, she tried again, repeatedly, until she was satisfied with the resulting e-mail.

After sending the e-mail, she proceeded to go to bed with hope and worry laying its foundation in the pit of her stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was late in the afternoon when Edward got home from training to his spacious modern apartment on the beach. It had been nearly three weeks since he'd entered the apartment; he'd been doing a small bike tour amongst the local schools in the region. Wiping the sweat from his brow and rubbing at his big blue eyes, he shed his excess training gear, throwing them into the laundry chute before walking barefoot on the cold tiles into his bedroom.

Walking past the end table, he noticed his answering machine flashing at him. He pressed the play button and lay down on his bed, hands settling behind his head.

'_You have two new messages.'_ it announced.

"_Hey Edward, it's me Jasper, you received an e-mail from some girl, Bella, begging for a signed poster for her sick brother. I don't think you should do it, not with all those psycho stalkers in the news lately. Ring me back within a few days if you want to do it" _his cousin and public representative's voice echoed out of the machine. Edward sat up, his curiosity piqued.

The machine beeped a high pitch note, signalling the beginning of a new message.

"_Alright, it's been two weeks; I will e-mail her and tell her no, I think it is for the best. For all we know she is a psycho, please don't do it. Call me when you get home, we have some stuff to discuss" _

'_Crap…_ _' _he thought, running over to the computer to check his e-mail.

Scrolling through the list of 'OMG I love you' and 'I am you biggest fan' he found the message from the girl 'Bella'. Clicking on it and beginning to read.

Hello Edward,

Uh… I really don't know what the protocol is for contacting celebrities or whatever, so here it goes. My name is Bella Swann, and my brother, Emmett, has been suffering from HIV since he was about ten years old and stepped on a needle at a beach during one of our few family get aways. Lately, everything has been pretty bad for him, school, friends etc and I was hoping to do something really special for his birthday in two months. By now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with you. Well you see, my brother has been fascinated with bikes since he was young, and you have become his idol of sorts this past year, and I was hoping that if I buy the poster, and pay the postage, if you could sign a personal message to him for me? It would mean so much to me, and my family, if you would do this for us, mere strangers.

Warm Regards,

Bella

He chuckled at the awkwardness of the beginning, but sobered up immediately at the mention of Emmett, her brother. His heart reached out to her and her family and he instantly felt a connection. Deciding at once to do it, for free, he began his reply e-mail on his personal account.

Dear Bella,

Edward Cullen here, I just read your e-mail and must apologise for not replying to you sooner (I was on a tour) and the cold e-mail my Public Representative sent, had I seen your e-mail prior, I would not have allowed it to be sent.

Anyway, your e-mail truly touched me, and I am honoured at the thought. It would be my pleasure to make this small gesture, and don't even think of paying.

Do you mind if I ask your age and where you are from?

Wishing you and your family the best,

-Edward

Checking his sent box on his official account, he noticed that the message Jasper sent was only sent two hours ago and sighed relief. Yawning, he went back into drafts and sent the e-mail off, hoping that it wasn't too little too late, then retired to his expansive bed.

Bella woke up late on Saturday morning, head pounding from crying last night, and her eyes red, puffy and bleary. The sounds of her laptop beeping in protest from being left on all night without power slowly filtered into her conscious. She pressed her palms onto the desk to push up off the ground, groaning as her muscles stretched out of the cramped position they had been in all night. Reaching out to grab the thin black power cable, she moved her laptop towards her, tilting the screen down to plug in the cord in the back.

She watched the computer turn on through unfocused eyes.

A sign appeared on the screen saying _"You have one unread e-mail"._

Sighing, she clicked on the alert, expecting it to be some stupid chain mail from Emmett, or a facebook notification that she_ really_ did not care about.

Typical of a terrible start of a weekend, her dial up was running slower than ever, so she busied herself in the kitchen/living room/dining room making breakfast. She reached up to the cupboard above her head to get out the kettle, but ended up bringing down the cupboard door on her uncovered toe instead.

"Great…" she muttered sarcastically, hopping on one foot to grab the kettle and fill it up at the sink with water.

She reached into the open cabinet towards her left and grabbed a chipped bowl and a stained mug out. Finding the appropriate utensils, she placed two teaspoons of coffee in the mug and plopped some home brand weetbix into the bowl, with sugar and milk. Leaning against the scratched, faded counter, she waited for the jug to boil, mind still processing the rejection of last night.

_You knew it was unlikely. He probably thinks you're pathetic. Well you are really, sick brother, living in poor conditions, strapped for cash…_

The kettle shrieked, coming to a boil and jerking her out of the depressing thoughts.

Gripping the jug, she pulled it out of its holder and poured the hot water into the mug.

"Mmmm" she murmured, inhaling the scent of coffee as she stirred the water, milk and coffee beans together.

Grabbing the bowl and cup, she sashayed over to the computer, humming a little tune that was repeatedly playing her head for the last few days.

She leaned in as she sat down, her eyes still slightly unfocused from the bad nights sleep. The title of the e-mail read 'Hello & Sorry". Frowning with confusion, she opened the e-mail.

"Dear Bella" she read aloud.

"Edwardothy Sto…Oh my god!" she gasped, reading the rest of the e-mail.

"He said yes! He said yes!" she sang, dancing around the small apartment.

CLANG

"Woops…" she chuckled, picking up all the displaced books from the coffee table she'd danced into. Still giddy, she ran back over to the laptop to write a reply.

Dear Edward,

There are no words to express how my heart swelled when I read your e-mail.  
I don't mind you asking, you can ask me anything, you are, after all, doing me a huge favour.  
I am currently 19, born and raised in Sydney. However, I currently live in a scungy apartment near to my university.

~Bella  
P.s How will we set the poster thing up?

P.p.s Why aren't you using your official e-mail address?

She sent the e-mail off and immediately ran to the phone to call her Mum.

"Hello, Boutique de Renee, Renee Dywer speaking!" answered a female voice and Bella winced as she heard her mother use her married name.

"Hey Mum! You got a minute??" Bella practically shouted into the phone.

"Yeah sure honey, let me just get someone to cover the front counter" her mother replied, calling to some one indistinctly.

"Ok, I can talk now, what's up hun?" asked her mum a few minutes later.

"Guess who just got her brother a signed Edwardothy Cullen poster?!?!?" she squealed into the phone, jumping up and down on the spot.

"YOU?!?! Sweetie that is fantastic! Emmett will be thrilled!" she gushed

"I hope so; I am going to give it to him for his birthday, so keep it hush!" Bella hoped her mother would be able to keep a secret just this one Time.

"Wow, good idea, so what else is new with you?" 

"Well…lectures…" Bella began, and the conversation continued on for another five minutes before an alarm turned on telling Bella she was late for, surprisingly, a lecture.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was a clear sunny day and the light from the sun was streaming in beams through the curtains into Edward's apartment. Birds warbled outside, greeting the new day whilst the apartment remained still.

"_Heat of the moment shone in your eyes….."_ blared Edward's alarm clock, stirring him into consciousness.

"Ugh…morning" he groaned, stretching all his limbs and wiping the sleep from his eyes.

He stumbled around the various rooms; flicking open the curtains to let the full light from the sun illuminate the sleek, shiny areas of his apartment.

He stood on his balcony for a while, gazing at the ocean as the waves broke in spectacular formations along the beach. His thoughts drifted in and out of his mind peacefully as he leaned against the railing, feeling the cool sea breeze ruffle his hair and tickle his cheeks. He was pulled out of his calm mood by the sound of his cell phone ringing.

"Hello?" he answered pleasantly, still reasonably relaxed.

"Where the hell have you been man? I've tried calling your cell heaps, you weren't answering your home…" yelled Jasper

"Whoa, calm down. My cell's battery died in the first few days of the tour and I forgot to pack a charger, and well, I didn't answer my home, because I wasn't home, obviously." Edward replied, all previous tranquillity leaving his body.

"Well where are you now?" Jasper demanded.

"I am currently walking into my bedroom and turning on my computer. In case you were wondering, the answer is blue."

"What's blue?" 

"My boxers"

"Why would I care?"

"Because you are so nosy, I assumed you wanted to know everything down to the colour of my boxers."

"Oh shut up, this is serious smart arse!"

"It's cute too…"

"Shut up! This is not the Time for old family jokes! We need to talk about the photo shoot next week, the press conference…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know" Edward said, cutting him off.

"Good, what are you doing right now? Do you have Time for a quick meeting with some race officials?"

"Just checking my e-mails," he replied, clicking on his inbox, and inhaling and smiling with delight when he saw he had an e-mail from Bella "Listen, something has come up, I've gotta go. Talk to you soon" he snapped the phone shut as Jasper shouted obscenities.

His smile grew wider and wider throughout the whole e-mail and he immediately began forming a response.

Dear Bella,

I am glad I can help. Truly, I am.

What university do you attend, and what course are you studying?

Wow, 19, that's so young, but you seem so much more mature than your age suggests. I am 22 myself.

I am using my personal e-mail address because my PR (who is also my cousin) has been reading too many crime stories and is convinced that everyone is:  
a) A stalker

b) A killer

c) all of the above.

He also has access to my official one and can see who I am e-mailing, where as this one is private.

I have a photo shoot next Saturday, so I will ask for a copy to be sent directly to me as soon as they get published. What address should I post it to?

-Edward

P.s you aren't a, b or c are you?

Quickly checking it for spelling mistakes, he rubbed his knee and sent the e-mail off. He then spent the next fifteen minutes sitting in front of the computer, anxiously awaiting a reply.

After fifteen minutes of browsing the internet, hoping Bella would reply soon, he went to lie back down on his bed, reaching over to the polished marble bedside table to grab the well-worn book beside his bed. He continued reading for another twenty minutes, but his thoughts were centred on the mysterious girl he was already beginning to miss. He was just about ready to give up on both reading and the reply when his computer chimed.

'_You have one new message!'_

Edward leapt to his feet, throwing the book on to his crumpled bed and rushed over to the computer, crushing his right foot against the desk when he didn't stop soon enough.

"Crap!" he grunted holding and rubbing his foot vigorously whilst stumbling around the room, knocking down other objects in his path. "Damn it!" he exclaimed, finally regaining his balance enough to make his way to the computer and bringing up his inbox.

"So help me god, if this is a message from facebook…" he muttered under his breath, cutting himself off as he read the title 'Re: Hello & Sorry'. Quickly he clicked on the e-mail and began to read.

Dear Edward.

Thankyou again!

I attend Macquarie University in Sydney, and I am doing a Bachelor of Forensic Science.

I assure you, I'm not a stalker. Promise.

If you wouldn't mind, could you please post it to 83 Cormie Drive, Campbelltown, Sydney, 2560?

Is there anything I can do to repay you?

I'd ask what you do, but that is kinda obvious.

~Bella

Smiling with amusement at how formal Bella was being, he quickly sent off a reply. The rest of his day was filled with mindless entertainment with his Wii, home cinema and stereo system. Nothing held his interest for long and his thoughts constantly drifted back to Bella, wondering if he'd ever break through the tough shell she has around her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

Yeah...I've fixed the problem of the e-mails not being in bold, and thus harder to read. Please review, I won't know what to change if you don't tell me!

* * *

The professor's voice echoed throughout the full auditorium, commanding the attention of everyone in the hall.

"…DNA testing is incredibly important part of society now, socially, health wise and criminally," He paused, looking each one of his students in the eye, until he came upon Bella who was staring intently at a brick half way up the back wall. "…don't you agree young miss?"

Bella looked up, shocked then flushing pink when she realised that she was the object of the Professor's attention, and that the entire room was focused on her and her response.

"I'm sorry sir, I wasn't paying attention." She stammered out, casting her eyes down towards her note pad. "I was day dreaming."

"Ah, young love, sweet and fulfilling, but it does not have a place in my lecture theatre. Please keep all your future day dreams stored for after my lecture, ok?" she blushed even more profusely.

"It wasn't love." She protested. "But I will try to keep my mind more focused."

"Very well" he replied and moved on with his lecture.

The lecture continued on for an hour, going in depth on the various uses of DNA testing and the ethical dilemmas it raised. Bella remembered nothing of it, her eyes stayed locked on the clock throughout it.

"_Could Time go any slower?"_ she thought, willing the thin black hands to move faster along the white background. As her professor's deep voice resonated in the background, her thoughts began drifting to Edward, and the e-mails that made her breath catch in her throat every Time she realised she had a new message. She began to wonder if her e-mails gave him the same thrill that they did her, of if he regarded her as some charity case, or worse, a huge joke.

Her thin face creased into a frown as her thoughts became dark and suspicious.

_What if he's doing this all for publicity?_

She flinched openly as the thought burned in her mind, causing the people around her to either stare curiously or shake their heads in annoyance.

_So? At least you get the poster. What, did you really think you would actually mean something to him?_

Her brow furrowed further as those viscous thoughts seared into her mind.

The professor's voice once again broke through her contemplation.

"Ok, lecture concluded. Considering I just _know_ that you all paid complete attention…" he directed his gaze at Bella and pursed his lips, letting her know he knew she wasn't listening at all. "I expect to see a set of comprehensive notes on the lecture on my desk by this Time next week. If you can't type them, at least make them neat. Dismissed."

"Crap." She muttered to herself, making a mental note to find someone and grab a copy of their notes as she packed all her gear up into her faithful black bag.

She walked the familiar path to the train station, not even looking as she used her TravelPass, her muscles knowing the routine well. She stood up for the entire commute to her apartment, changing at the necessary stations, moving around people subconsciously as her mind coasted around in a sea of thoughts.

She almost missed the entrance to her building and was nearly past it until a man came running out of her building and nearly knocked her off her feet, and completely out of her thoughts.

"Sorry." They both mumbled, separating, assuming to never see each other again.

She trudged through the foyer of the building, checking her mail whilst giving meek smiles and half-hearted waves of acknowledgement to those she knew. She carefully walked up the creaky stairs, knowing they wouldn't break, but wary all the same.

When she reached her chipped unassuming door, she rummaged around in her pockets and bag for her keys. Her heart began to pound rapidly as the search took longer and longer, each second agonisingly creeping by as she began scrambling for the key, finally finding it in the back pocket of her faded sky blue jeans.

"What is it doing back there?" she asked the door, as if it would know.

Pushing the key into the lock and twisting it, she jimmied the door open, the air rushing out to even the pressure. Strolling through the door frame, she dropped her keys on the end table and closed the door, giving it a slight nudge with her shoulder to make sure it didn't reopen later, especially not the middle of the night, and relaxed into the couch. She sat there for about ten minutes, just running through the list of things she need to do, including copying those notes, when it occurred to her that she hadn't checked her e-mails. She rushed over to the laptop, cursing herself mentally at how desperate she was to have a reply, and almost screamed for joy when her inbox displayed she had one unread e-mail.

**Dear Bella,**

**Wow, that sounds hard. You must be a very smart woman.**

**Stop thanking me! Honestly, it is nothing. If anything, I should be thanking you for this wonderful opportunity to do something worthwhile with my undeserved fame.**

**An Aussie girl!! Do you ride kangaroos around? Just kidding, please don't hurt me.**

**I have an idea of how you can 'repay me'.**

**In my free-Time (what little I have free of Jasper and his unending questions) is spent watching re-runs of the musical TV show 'Glee'.**

**I understand if you no longer wish to be associated with me ha ha.**

**-Edward**

Bella chuckled throughout the message, laughing at the absurdity of the entire situation and hastily sent a reply, hoping to catch him when he was still online.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - SORRY I KEEP CHANGING IT. I keep finding errors I thought I had fixed. Please don't hurt me :(

Edward was woken from his deep sleep by his computer beeping at him. Groaning, he instantly regretted setting it to loud so as to catch Bella as soon as she replied. He shuffled awkwardly to the computer, eyes still semi-closed and read the alert, promising to throw something if it wasn't from her.

His breath caught in his throat as he read the title he had grown to love.

**Dear Edward**

**Ok, ok, I'll stop. **_Thank you._

**No we do not! Sydney, shockingly, has these new fangled things called 'motor-vehicles'. Of course we still power them Flintstone style!**

**Are you going to let me in on this idea?**

**-clears throat- Don't stop, believing!!!  
**

**~Bella**

He chuckled at her jokes and formulated a response, praying that she would still be online when the e-mail gets to her.

**Dear Bella**

**I saw that thank you!**

**Doesn't that hurt your feet?**

**A fellow Glee fan!?! Who is your favourite character?**

**Any pet peeves I should be aware of?**

**My bright idea, which illuminates whole countries because that's how good it is, is for you to tell me about yourself .**

**-Edward**

**P. S. Do you have AIM? It would make talking so much easier!**

Ten minutes later, Bella replied.

**Dear Edward**

**I have no idea what AIM is, but you can down load Windows Live Messenger, it is a free chatting service thingy.**

**I have concrete shoes. Seriously.**

**I have two, Rachel and Quin. What about you?**

**Yes, people who say PIN number and ATM machine. Drives me insane! I hear it far too often at work.**

**I am a girl. I have a brother. I work. The end.**

**~Bella**

Within three minutes of receiving Bella's e-mail, Edward had already found and started down loading the 'Messenger' she had been talking about.

"Thank god for the internet" he whispered aloud, watching as the download Time was quickly eaten away.

He raced through the set up, anxious to begin chatting with her where he could get immediate responses, rather than slow, meticulously planned e-mails.

He instantly regretted constantly clicking the 'NEXT' button when he realised he had no idea how to add a contact. It took him another fifteen minutes until he worked it out and began a conversation.

* * *

Edward says:  
Hey, it's me!

Bella:// says:  
Hello, how are you?

Edward says:

Awesome, and you?  
Your deal isn't over, I want to know more.

Bella:// says:

I am good too.

What do you want to know?

Edward says:

Um… Do u play an instrument?

Bella:// says:

I used to play violin in high school, but when Emmett got sick, we couldn't afford it anymore. I work two jobs as a cleaner and check out chick to pay for University.

Edward says:

Wow, that kinda sucks. You seem devoted to your brother. Tell me about your family?

Bella:// says:

It is a rather long story.

Edward says:

I have Time.

Bella:// says:

Your not going to give up are you?

Edward says:

Not at all. :D

Bella:// says:

-sigh- fine.

Well, my mother, Renee Dywer, had me when she was 22, and my Dad, Charlie Swann, and she were high school sweet hearts. My Dad died in a car accident when I was eight years old. She met my Step-Dad, Phil Dywer, when I was 16. At first I wasn't happy about it, and it wasn't until she exclaimed rather loudly that she was a woman who had 'needs' did I fully accept him. They married about a year ago, I was the Maid of Honour, and Emmett was the Best man.

Edward says:  
Wow, sounds hard. I take it you and your brother are close?

Bella:// says:

Yeah, I looked after him when Dad died. Mum got really busy with her boutique (ironically, she met Phil there years later) so I walked him to school, helped out with home work, etc. I loved every minute of it.

Edward says:

You seem to be an amazing woman.

What does your Step-Dad do?

Bella:// says:

He's a truckie.

Edward says:

Oh cool.

_Edward was truly gob-smacked at what Bella had done for her family, wondering if she ever had time for herself. After about five minutes with no reply, he sent another message, hoping she didn't think he was desperate._

Edward says:

You there?

_He scanned the computer screen, eyes centring on the smiley face icon with waves around the head. 'Hmm, nudge, I wonder what that does?' he thought to himself, clicking on the button._

Edward says:

Holy crap what was that? My entire screen shook!

Bella:// says:

Ha ha, that is a nudge. Yes I am here, sorry about the delay, my Mum called. I have to go, I will talk to you when I get Time. Bye!

_Bella:// is now offline._

_

* * *

_

Sighing with disappointment, Edward closed down the browser, rolled back into bed and went to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - cause I was so lame before hand with all the changing, here is a present :) REVIEW!!!!!!!

Bella ran around the apartment, all previous amusement from the conversation with Edward gone. She ran over to her dresser, shoving her clothes into a bag and grabbing her wallet, phone and keys before rushing out the door, not even bothering to check whether it was locked.

She ran through the streets, the lights and people a blur, her vision focused on getting to the hospital. On getting to Emmett.

She burst through the front doors of the hospital, wincing at the cold clinical feel and smell of disinfectant, and then racing to the front desk to get Emmett's room number before once again speeding off. By the Time she got to his room, she was drenched in sweat and completely out of breath.

"Sorry it took me so long to get here Mum, the trains were crowded and people just don't seem to understand how to walk fast!" she rambled as her Mum enveloped her into a hug.

"It's ok sweetie, I know you would have done everything possible to get here faster if you could." Her mum replied, rubbing circles in the small of her daughter's back as Bella started sobbing into her mother's white blouse, bent down slightly to compensate for the height difference.

"Shh honey, it will be ok. Everything will work out." Her mother said softly, consoling her daughter.

"What's wrong with him?" Bella asked fearfully, afraid of the answer, her voice cracking and smothered by her mother's shirt.

"We don't know yet, we are waiting for the test results to come back" her mother replied, releasing Bella from her embrace.

"Can I see him?" Bella asked, eyes still brimming with tears and questions.

"Sure honey, he is just resting so he might not be very chatty" she replied, wiping away the tears that were making tracks along her daughters slightly flushed cheeks.

Bella turned to the white door, simple in design but holding so much history, many patients have walked into this room, and many did not walk out. She grasped the cool steel handle, pausing to lean her forehead against the door, scared of what she might find inside. Taking a deep breath, she settled herself before opening the door and walking in.

"Hey…" she murmured, silently taking in the sight in front of her.

Emmett lay in the middle of the bed; his eyes closed and face restful. Bella gasped as she saw all the tubes leading in and out of his frail body, the smell of sickness a constant aroma and the beeping of machines melding to form a song of pain. His eyelids slightly bruised, tinged with purple from weariness. The once short spiky brown hair, his trademark, was hanging limply around his clammy face.

She glided over to the bed, reaching forward to caress his covered arms, a total feeling of surrealism overwhelming her.

His eyes flicked open, his eyes, that were still a deep liquid brown, began to sparkle with life as he caught site of Bella beside his bed. Pale and dry, his lips turned upwards into a smile, but the moment was dampened by his slight wince as his bottom lip cracked slightly.

"Hey sis..."

"Hey Em…" She moved to sit by his bed. "How's Rosalie going? Realised that you're a loser and left yet?" she continued.

Emmett chuckled at his sister's weak attempt to lighten the mood.

'Nah, see unlike you, people actually like me!" he joked back.

"Shut up."

"Ooooo good come back, good thing I am in a hospital or else I would be in serious trouble!"

"Moving on… what's new with you?" she asked, changing the subject. "Don't look at me like that!" she continued, as Emmett stared at her in utter disbelief, "I meant school and friends wise."

Emmett began to reply, but Bella had already tuned out, catching sight of her mother and Phil talking to a doctor outside Emmett's room. She began to focus on the body language, hoping for hints on what kind of news they were receiving. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched her mother's shoulders slump and Phil pull her closer to his chest. The doctor gazed on sympathetically, frequently looking between her parents and Emmett.

"_This can't be good"_ she thought to herself, her entire visage furrowing in concentration.

"… and that was when the sea monkeys attacked and took over the world. Bella?" her brother called, "are you listening?"

"Hmm? Sorry! I was just thinking about how I was going to get the notes I missed last lecture."

"That's ok, I pretty much said random crap a couple of minutes ago to see if you were paying attention, which you weren't ha ha. Seriously, I am ok here, Mum and Phil are around, you go home and work out your university stuff. I need to sleep anyway." He replied, closing his eyes to signal the end of the conversation.

"Ok, I'll see you soon! I promise!" Bella said, feeling slightly guilty but at the same Time relieved to be able to leave the room to see what was happening. She waited by the door for a few minutes for the doctor to leave before rushing out to hold her family. They stood there in a tight hug for an immeasurable amount of Time, enjoying the comfort and stability of each other, silently shedding tears for their youngest and vital member.

"What is going on?" Bella questioned, already dreading the answer.

"He has to have a kidney transplant. They are both failing." Phil answered flatly, completely defeated and exhausted.

"Can you or Phil…?" she trailed off.

"We got tested ages ago, in case something like this happened, but the results were negative." Her mother answered, chest still racked with sobs.

"Can I donate?" Bella asked, hope once again building.

"Sweetie, we could never, ever, ask that of you. What if you have kids, and they need a transplant, but you can't give them one?" her mother reasoned, rubbing her daughters arm soothingly.

"Mum. I want to do this. I love him. I am not going to risk his life for the life of someone who may or may not ever exist, and may never need a transplant!" Bella protested.

Her mother was about to argue back when Emmett's doctor walked past.

"Excuse me sir." Bella said, gently tapping his right shoulder. "Who would I see about getting a compatibility test between Emmett and me for a kidney?"

"If you just give me a minute to finish what I was doing, I'll come back to set something up for you," he replied, heading off in the opposite direction and having to double back.

"Honey, please think about this. What if something goes wrong? I couldn't survive losing both of you." Whispered Bella's mother harshly, trying to avoid alerting Emmett to the disagreement outside his room.

"Mum, I would never be able to forgive myself if he died and I didn't do everything within my abilities to save him. I have to get tested." She replied back fiercely.

"Ma'am? If you would just like to follow me, I can start the testing." The doctor interrupted, searching the faces of the angry women standing in front of him.

Seeing the ferocious look on his wife's face, Phil decided to intervene.

"Love, it is her body and her choice. I understand that you want to protect her, but it is all up to Bella. Besides, we don't even know if she is a match yet," he said, spinning Renee around to look her straight in the eye. Renee eyed him back furiously, the standoff lasting minutes as Bella and the doctor stood by quietly. Finally, Renee relented, sighing and giving a slight nod.

Ten minutes later, Bella emerged from the room the doctor took her into, striding up to her mother.

"Thanks Mum, It will take a few days to get the results back. I'll take the first night shift, you guys go home, get clean, relax." Bella ordered, turning her back on them to walk into Emmett's room to settle in for a long night, and what she knew to be even longer days.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"I know you aren't a model, but you have to give me something to work with here!" shouted the photographer, trying to work the light to flatter Edward's slight body. "Have you ever heard of facial expression? You look like you just got smacked in the face!"

Edward turned his head and glared at the photographer, angrily contorting his body into another position, hating every minute of the photo shoot.

"_You're doing this for her. You're doing this for her!" _he repeated his mantra over and over again, trying not to kill someone. He yelped as someone pinched his arm.

"That's it! Beautiful!" the photographer exclaimed, eagerly capturing Edward's look of pure loathing on film.

"I need a break." Edward replied, his voice controlled but seething with irritation. He walked off the mat, swatting off the various crew members and walking straight over to Jasper.

"Hey Edward, how is everything going?" Jasper asked, smirking with amusement at the flourish of activity.

"Just peachy! When can I get out of here?" Edward replied sarcastically. Jasper opened his mouth to suggest they work until nightfall, but thought better of it.

"I'll go talk to the director to see if I can organise something with the shots we got." Still smirking, Jasper walked off.

"Hang on, one more thing! Can I get a copy of the poster sent to my house?" Edward called out.

"Why? You have a mirror! Oh, don't tell me that this is for the charity case from last month!"

"She turned out to be an amazing girl from Sydney, she works, looks after her family. I think I can afford this simple thing," Edward reasoned.

"Oh don't tell me you've fallen for her. What do you even know about her?" asked an astounded Jasper.

"I know enough. Can you please do this for me?" Edward pleaded.

"I noticed the avoidance of my other question, but I am sure I can organise something."

At the hospital, life progressed as normal, nurses came and went through Emmett's room, checking his vitals, keeping him clean and bringing food. His condition was rapidly deteriorating; he barely stirred when Bella, their Mum and Phil changed shifts, could only manage conversation for about thirty minutes and his body once lean and healthy was weak and pale, constantly covered in sheens of cold sweat. As the days blurred into one another, Bella faithfully stayed by her brother's side; leaving only once to pick up some clothes to change into.

"Miss?" Emmett's doctor, Dr. Arch called out to Bella. "Could you come with me? I have something important to discuss with you."

"Yeah, sure, I will be right out." She replied, stretching out her cramped muscles and smoothing out her t-shirt.

"What is it?" she asked as she walked out the door and closed it behind her. Her mother and Phil were both there too.

"I have some very good news. You are a match for your brother. We can have you in surgery by tomorrow morning." He stated, warily watching the family's reaction.

"Really? That's fantastic! Emmett will be so excited! I'll just run home to get some more clothes. Is there anything I need to do?" Bella rambled, practically jumping for joy.

"I would recommend you stay home tonight, have a decent meal, but nothing after eight o'clock tonight, and get a lot of rest. We will see you here at five thirty tomorrow to prepare you for surgery. I just need to get you and your caregiver's consent on this." Dr. Arch explained, giving Bella and her mother the appropriate medical forms.

"Mum, are you ok with this?" Bella asked as she scribbled her signature on the bottom of the page.

"Yes honey, so long as you are sure this is what you want. I will always worry for you." Her mother replied, also signing her name.

"It is." Bella simply stated, running into Emmett's room to get her stuff before heading home for the first Time in two days.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"_You have no new messages."_ The computer chimed at Edward for the tenth time that hour.

"_God damn it! Why hasn't she replied or come online?"_ he thought, stomping around his room in utter frustration. _"Maybe I should send her another message?"_

He was in the middle of typing another e-mail when Bella signed on.

Edward says:

Hey! Long Time no talk, where have you been?

**Bella:/ says:**  
**Sorry, been at the hospital with Emmett, I'm heading back tomorrow too.**

**Edward says:**

**That's no good, is he ok?**

**Bella: / says:**

**Hopefully, we'll know if everything goes ok by the end of the week.**

**Edward says:**

**Are you ok?**

**Bella:/ says:**

**I will be after tomorrow. After that, I should be able to be home in a week as well.**

**Edward says:**  
**What do you mean?**

**Bella:/ says:**

**Emmett's kidneys are failing, I am going into hospital tomorrow to donate one of mine.**

**Edward says:**

**Wow.**

**Bella:/ says:**

**It's the least I can do.**

**Edward says:**

**It amazes me how selfless you are. Seriously, you have got to be the most generous and kind person I have ever met.**

**Bella:/ says:**

**Thank you.**

**Edward says:**

**Is there anything I can do to help out?**

**Bella:/ says:**

**No. Thanks for the offer though.**

**Edward says:**

**Are you sure? You mentioned having to work, which you won't be able to do with the surgery for a little while, I could help out there?**

**Bella:/ says:**

**No, I am not some charity case, I can take care of myself thank you very much.**

**Edward says:**

**I didn't mean it that way. I just want to help out.**

**Bella:/ says:**

**The poster is more than enough, thank you. I have to go get ready for tomorrow. Bye.**

_Bella:/ is offline._

"ARGH!" Edward exclaimed, slamming his fist down on the table. "You already knew how independent she was! Why did you have to go and make out she would be an invalid for a few weeks you stupid son of a!" he berated himself kicking various objects around his room.

* * *

Bella breathed in and out heavily, anger emanating out of her body as she slammed the laptop lid down. _"How could he even think such a thing!" _she thought, furiously storming into her tiny bedroom like a bull. _"Because you are pathetic, a no body, some one broke and in need of fixing. He probably views you as a project." _She answered, flinging herself down onto the bed.

"GAH!" she shrieked into a pillow, thumping her fists on either side of her head, thrashing around like an eel before breaking down into tears. Trying to remember the good Times, she thought back to when she was seven, the fun Times with her Dad. When he would take her and Em out to the park to play, never saying no when they begged him to go down the slide, no matter how many Times he got stuck. She remembered his throaty laugh when ever she or Em did something silly. She remembered how warm and comforting his hugs were, the feeling of being safe, unafraid of the world as long as she had her Daddy with her. She remembered how he would put her on his shoulders and run around play aeroplanes with her mother having Emmett on her back. Her happy sweet memories tore at the hole in her heart as she remembered the night the police arrived at her door. They had been cooking all day to celebrate his birthday. His meeting had run late and he sped home to be with his family, but it was raining. She remembered running up to hold her mothers hand as the police broke the news that her Daddy was never coming back. Her mother had been a shell from then on, throwing herself into the boutique, trying her best to provide for her young children who desperately missed their father. They didn't understand back then, constantly asking when Daddy was coming in to kiss them good night, unable to work out why Mummy started crying each Time the question was asked. She remembered her mother, her vibrant funny mother, slowly becoming feeble and relying more and more on alcohol until finally she and Em were taken away from her whilst their only family member underwent rehab. She remembered the social service lady sitting her down and telling her to be strong for her brother. She remembered how happy she was when Mummy finally came home, peering around her mother's legs still looking for Daddy. The days slowly got better, Bella intensely following the social workers instructions, caring for Em, protecting him, and always putting him first.

Tears still streaming down her face, Bella slowly drifted off to sleep.

What do you guys think. I know you are out there reading this :)


	9. Chapter 9

This one is longer. Sorry about the lines, I can't get the uploader to recognise *** or -. I fail at this stuff.

* * *

Chapter 9

The harsh fluorescent lights filled the operating room, painfully showing up all the imperfections and discolouration on Emmett's and Bella's faces. Bella reached over to where Emmett was lying, quickly squeezing his hand before they were separated. Bella looked up, wincing at the bright light as faces appeared above her.

"Ok Bella, we are just going to put this mask on you now to administer the anaesthetic, could I please get you to count backwards from one hundred?" asked a kind nurse, face slightly wrinkled with age and wisdom.

"Sure. One hundred, ninety nine, ninteey eiiight, niiinee…" Bella began, absorbing the beeping of the monitors and slowly becoming unconscious.

* * *

Bella awoke to the feeling of soft hands caressing her cheek. She turned her face slightly to see who was beside her.

"Honey, wake up. You there?" her mother whispered softly into Bella's ears.

"Humph" Bella groaned, trying to roll away but stopping as soon as her stitches pulled. Her shooting pain in her back woke her immediately, her thoughts flying to Emmett. "Emmett! Is he ok? Did it work?" she stuttered out, craning her neck to see if she could see him.

"Shh honey, relax, he is doing fine, they are monitoring him in another room, but the surgery went fine. You should be able to go home in about a week, and Emmett a week after that." Her mother soothed.

"You should be with him! I am fine!" Bella urged her mother, trying to push away her mother's hands.

"Bella, relax, the nurses don't expect him to wake up for another hour yet."

"Ok, but I expect you gone within half an hour, I don't want him waking up alone. I brought a book that will keep me plenty company." Bella argued, all thoughts centred on Emmett.

"Fine you stubborn child, but I'll make sure Phil is here to talk to you. I don't care what kind of brave façade you are putting on, I am not leaving you alone in this eerie room," her mother said, giving Bella a look that said this was the final word on the subject. "You really need to look after your own interests too, you just underwent major surgery, you just can't bounce back!"

"I'm fine, just worried about Emmett, we both watched him wither away for the last week." She weakly argued back, knowing her mother was right, but trying to ignore it. "I'm feeling rather tired, I think I will go back to sleep." She yawned, pulling the blankets up to her chin.

"Ok, rest well sweetie" her mother bent over, brushing away the stray strands of hair and kissed her gently on the forehead.

* * *

A week later, Bella watched on as Phil dragged her suitcase up the stairs and into her apartment.

"You really shouldn't be living here. It is tiny and the neighbourhood is less than desirable." Phil gruffly commented, grunting as he pulled the suitcase into Bella's bed room. "You actually live in this match box?"

"Yes, and I love it." Bella replied curtly, defending her home. She really hated it, but she was never going to let him know that He would offer to pay, and she couldn't accept that, her family needed all the money they could save to afford Emmett's medical care.

"Fine, but you know we could…" he began, but Bella interrupted him.

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence, I am fine, I love my home, and if you don't mind, I would like to be alone to properly welcome myself back." She stopped him.

"Ok, goodbye Bella. Love you." He said, shuffling his feet and awkwardly hugging his step daughter.

After Phil had left, Bella hobbled throughout her apartment, still sore from the surgery. Her first stop was the bathroom. She opened the door to the tiny room, squeezed around the toilet and into the shower, whispering about how much she missed everything about privacy and knowing who the last person to use the shower was.

She then walked out and turned on the laptop, trying to figure out how exactly to beg her professor to allow her to catch up the work she had missed.

"_You have seven new messages."_ said the alert from her computer.

"Seven? I thought I blocked facebook notifications…" she said aloud, not caring if she sounded crazy, figuring no one was around to notice. She inhaled with delight when she read they were from Edward but quickly scowled as she recalled their last conversation. She sent a polite reply off to him, letting him know she was ok, but giving no inclination that she wanted to talk and the proceeded to write a charming e-mail to her professor to get him to forgive the two weeks of absence.

Completely exhausted, she walked into her bedroom, plugging her phone into the charger beside her bed and going to sleep.

* * *

It was early in the morning when Edward received the e-mail from Bella. His heart was pounding with excitement as he read the e-mail, hoping she didn't think he was some kind of loser.

_Hi Edward_

_Just letting you know that all went well and I am at home._

_Best Wishes,_

_Bella_

His stomach sank as he read the cold message. The "dear" was gone and she showed no desire to talk to him. He doubted that this would change just through e-mail so he reached into his pocket and speed dialled Jasper.

"What do you want Edward? It's six in the morning!" a grumpy Jasper replied through the phone. He heard a faint female voice query the caller.

"I need you to do me a favour."

"What is it Edward." Jasper replied flatly, clearly unimpressed.

"Would I be able to get you to use your contacts to get a phone number for me?" Edward pleaded.

"Fine, who is it?"

"Well, you know that girl? Bella Swann?"

"You're kidding me."

"No, please, I think I offended her and I need to talk to her in a way that she has to reply immediately."

"Or hang up."

"I am serious, can you help me out?"

"Fine, but you owe me two radio interviews for this." Jasper hung up.

Edward flipped the phone shut, walking into the living room to watch a movie to keep his mind distracted and away from Bella. He was about an hour into the movie and couldn't remember anything that was happening when his phone rang. He leapt off the leather three-seater and ran to answer the phone.

"Hello?" he asked eagerly.

"You owe me greatly. I had to try and explain WHY you wanted it. But I got it."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was 3am when Bella was awoken to her mobile phone going off. She groaned and tried to untangle herself from the cacoon of blankets she was encased in. Finally freeing one arm she grabbed the mobile, jerking it off the charger and closer to her ear.

"Hello?" she mumbled into the phone, still trying to kick her way out, but succeeding in only inflaming her back. "This better be good, my back is now killing me."

"Uh, hey." Edward hesitated nervously, his voice unable to be heard on the other side.

"It's 3am! Who is this calling?" Bella asked irritably, jarring Edward into speech.

"Hi Bella, its Edwardothy Cullen…" the rest of his sentence was lost as Bella dropped the phone onto the floor. Edward could vaguely make out muffled grunts and curses as he assumed Bella searched for the phone.

"Uh, sorry, Hi"

"Hi" he chuckled.

"Excuse me if this sounds rude, but what do you want?" she asked, wincing as her back sent waves of pain throughout her body.

"I knew you wouldn't talk to me if I just e-mailed you so I called. I just forgot the Time difference. Are you ok?" concern dripped from his voice.

"I'm fine. Did you ever think that maybe I didn't want to talk to you?" she suggested, still cranky from having her sleep disrupted.

"I know, but I really look forward to all our conversations and missed you. I didn't mean to offend you, in my mind it was a kind offer, I didn't think about how you would take it." He replied smoothly, hoping she would accept his apology.

"You aren't going to give up are you?"

"Not a chance." He chuckled.

"Fine, you are forgiven. Can I go back to sleep now?" she said flatly, staring back at her bed longingly.

"Oh crap sorry! Yes, by all means, I will call you in twelve hours?" he asked, knowing the hope could be heard clearly in his voice

"One more thing."

"Yes?" he asked, curious as to what she was going to ask of him.

"How did you get my number?"

"I have contacts, ha ha. Good night Bella" he chuckled, remembering the earlier conversation with Jasper.

"G'night Edward." She said her voice light as she hung up the phone.

She shook her head in amusement and walked over to the bed, wrapping the blankets around her body, hoping the heat would make the back pain more bearable. It took her less than ten minutes to fall asleep again, this Time with a smile twitching her lips, knowing that her dreams would be happy tonight. Instinctively realising that somewhere in America, Edward was feeling the same way too.

For what seemed to be the millionth Time in the last five minutes, Bella looked at her phone, expecting it to ring. _"Why hasn't he called?"_ she thought to herself. _"It's twenty past three!" _She tapped her foot on the ground anxiously, wishing she was strong enough to pace and resenting being fixed to her beaten up old sofa. She internally scolded herself over how desperate she was to talk to him, finally giving up and having a shower.

She stood under the hot water for ten minutes, enjoying the feeling of it cascading down her back, not caring about the stinging pain as it hit her slowly healing wound. She sighed with contentment as she massaged her scalp to rinse out all the conditioner. The steam began to fog up the mirrors and she knew it was Time to get out. She had just walked into her bedroom when the phone started ringing. _"Please be him and not a cold caller." _She repeated over and over in her head as she rushed as fast as she could to answer the phone, still in a towel, her hair hanging limply around her face.

"Hello?" She breathed into the phone, slightly puffed from the exertion. She frowned as someone chuckled on the other end. 

"Hello?" she asked again, her tone slightly more demanding.

"Hey Bella" said the voice

"Edward?"

"It is indeed. I told you I would call!" he said, his amusement echoed in his voice.

"Yes, at three, its ten to four!"

"Looking forward to the phone call were we?"

"No. I like promptness. How are you?" Her voiced signalled the end of that conversation.

"I am well, as I always am when I talk to you, and yourself?" he said smoothly.

"Tired and sore. What is the purpose of calling if you don't mind me asking?" she asked, glad that the phone wouldn't tip Edward off to her glowing red cheeks.

"To talk of course." He said like it was the simplest concept in the world.

"Yes, but what about?" she rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"Uh, I hadn't really thought that far ahead. What would you like to talk about?" he stammered in embarrassment, smacking his forehead with his hand for the gross oversight of forgetting to actually have a topic.

"I don't really mind. Why don't you tell me about your family, seeing as I told you about my slightly dysfunctional one?" she suggested, settling herself down on the couch, grimacing as the stiches pulled slightly.

"Are you ok?" Edward asked quickly, a sudden need to protect her from pain flaring through his body.

"I'm fine, start talking." She said gruffly, once again irritated by people being concerned for her, the social worker's words still echoing about her mind.

"Okay good. Um, what is there to tell? I had a fairly decent upbringing, we weren't rich, but we weren't poor either. Everything was pretty average until I was about fifteen when my mother's sister and her husband died in a car crash. Our families were always pretty close so it was a no brainer that Jasper, their 17 year old son and my cousin, would come to live with us. Pretty soon after that, he got it into his head that he could repay my family's kindness by looking over me during racing competitions. As my fame progressed he transitioned into the role of manager. Unfortunately he never lost the need to look after me nor learnt what personal space means." Edward recounted events from his life, astounded at how easy it was to talk to this girl he had never even met.

"He sounds like a real character." She chortled.

"Yeah he is, but he grows on you. Enough about me, tell me more about you!" his curiosity burned in his voice.

"What do you want to know?" She sighed rolling her eyes.

"What do you do for a living?"

"Well I used to work as a check out chick at Woolworths, but I won't be going back for at least a month, and on Tuesday afternoons I clean the offices of a local business. It isn't great pay, but it keeps the water running, the electricity on and a roof above my head." Her face contorted with worry as she said this, realising that she would have to go back to Woolworths sooner than she expected.

"That sounds hard, why don't your parents help out?" he asked, not liking the fact that Bella was doing it so tough.

"Because Emmett needs the money more than I do." she replied simply.

"Do you ever look after yourself? You have needs too"

"They aren't as important," She whispered.

"Yes they are. You are important. Why don't you realise this? Why are you always putting Emmett's needs so far above your own?" he asked, his voice tight knowing that he was treading a fine line.

"Because he needs me! Because Mum was not there for us when we needed her most! It has always been me and Em against the world. I was the one who held him when he woke in the night shrieking for Daddy. I was the one who made sure he was eating ok when our Mother couldn't even get out of bed! Me! It was always me! I can't just turn my back on him now!" Bella yelled into the phone, tears streaming down her face as bad memories pushed into her mind. "I could never live with myself if I got something at his expense" she said softly, closing eyes while her voice was cracking, all the pressure that had been building up for years exploding.

There was a pause in the conversation as a shocked Edward tried to think of something to say, a lump rising in his throat after just hearing about the pain Bella had been through.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that." He said quietly, cringing at how pathetically uncomforting his words were. "I am here if you ever need anything. Please, this is not a hand out, I barely know you, but I feel connected to you somehow. Promise me you will call me if you ever need something." He recoiled as he heard Bella sobbing on the other end of the phone, knowing that it was he who caused the sadness she was experiencing.

"Ok." She said after a few minutes.

"Ok." He repeated, his voice and face both smiling.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

* * *

Two chapters, one night, our net finishes tomorrow so now we're just using it up :D

* * *

Bella awoke the next morning to a knock at her door. Groaning in frustration at yet another interrupted sleep she grumbled her way to open the door.

"Hello?" she asked tiredly, her annoyance showing through in her voice. Looking up she saw a young man, barely twenty, holding a parcel and a clipboard.

"I have a delivery for a Miss B Swann?"

"Speaking."

"Oh great, I just need you to sign here and then I'll be on my way." He handed her the clipboard.

"Thanks" she said, signing the form and handing it back.

"Here you go, have a lovely day." She took the parcel from his hands and waved him off.

As soon as he was out of sight, she went back into the apartment and tore open the box. She laughed in delight as she saw the framed poster inside it.

"_Just in Time." _She thought realising Emmett's birthday was tomorrow. _"I'd forgotten about the agreement" _she chuckled to herself, thinking about how stupid it was to forget the reason why she was even talking to Edward.

"Oh. My. God. Is this what I think it is?" Emmett exclaimed as he ripped the wrapping off Bella's present. They were all sitting around the dinner table taking turns to give Emmett the various gifts. He was still skeletal in figure, but his face was slowly regaining the plumpness it used to have.

"Yes it is indeed!" Bella replied beaming, walking over to hug her little brother.

"Thank you so much! How on earth did you manage this? How much did it cost? Do you still talk to him?" he questioned, every thought running through his head coming out his mouth.

"You're welcome and one question at a time! I have my ways and don't think about the cost." she said evasively.

"You didn't answer my last question." Emmett eyed Bella suspiciously and Bella squirmed, trying to think of a way to answer the question to Emmett's satisfaction, without actually answering him.

"Who wants cake?" interrupted Phil, sensing his step-daughter's discomfort. He had only officially been her step-dad for about a year now, and he already viewed her as a daughter, love showing in his eyes as he gazed around at his family at their dinner table.

"Me please!" agreed Bella, throwing Phil a thankful look for getting the spotlight off her. "I'll just get it ready" she rose and Phil followed her into the kitchen.

"I know I am not your real Dad, and I can never replace him so don't take what I have to say the wrong way," Phil began as Bella got the caramel swirl cake out of the fridge. Bella looked up sharply.

"Just hear me out. I wanted to let you know that I am here if you want to talk and I respect that you don't want to discuss your relationship with Edward. I just would like to tell you that I think you are a wonderful, beautiful young lady and you deserve the world. I feel like you are my daughter, and I have already told Emmett this, I know you rejected the notion in the past, but I would be honoured if you called me Dad." he stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead and went to rejoin his son and wife.

Bella stood in the kitchen smiling at the emotion Phil displayed, Dad she corrected herself mentally, wondering how he worked out that there was something going on. She thought about this intently but was disrupted when she remembered the cake. She lit the candles and walked to out sing and celebrate. She placed the cake in front of Emmett and whispered in Phil's ear,

"Thanks Dad."

Bella stayed the night at her parent's house with Emmett, laughing into the late hours of the night before everyone retired to bed. She walked around the living room looking at all the photos, the old ones of her and Em playing on swings, the various stages of tooth gain and loss, her high school graduation and the more recent photos of her Mum and Phil -Dad she corrected again- the pictures of the wedding, family dinners. Her mother looked so happy, she had always liked Phil, but seeing how happy her mother was in these pictures something clicked inside her, she realised that even though he had always been 'Phil, my step-dad', for ages he had been much more than that. He had been a true father. With that comforting thought fresh in her mind, she went up to her old childhood bedroom and slept peacefully.

She left early that morning, popping her head into Emmett's room to say goodbye. She passed through the kitchen and grabbed a piece of toast off her mother's plate and promised to catch up soon. The train ride home was uneventful and Bella was relieved to finally get home. The first thing she did after she walked in the door was to purposely stride straight over to the computer to e-mail Edward.

"_There is no place like home!" _Edward thought as he relaxed into a lounge after a long day of training. He turned on the TV to watch the news when he noticed the date. _"Emmett's birthday!" _he thought as he scuttled over to the computer to put his plan into action.

Opening facebook, he typed in "Emmett Swann" to the search bar, it took him about five minutes to sort through all the results but he found the person who he thought matched the descriptions he had received from Bella. He added him as a friend and sent the message:

'Hey, is this the brother of Bella?'

Within five minutes he had received a reply.

'Yes it is, why?'

'This is Edward Cullen, I am using an alias. I am a friend of your sister, I really like her and I was hoping to get your help to get her to go on a date with me?'

'Nice alias, no one will figure THAT one out. Thomas Rock –snort-. Sure, what do you need to know?'

'Shh, I was 17 when I created that account. Umm… just the little things that she would like? When is her birthday?'

'I am 15 and I know that is a dumb name. She likes flowers, in particular Daffodils, and her birthday is three weeks next Friday.'

'That's great to know. That should be good to get me started thanks. I also have a plan which needs your help. How are you feeling?'

From there on the conversation continued, varying from BMX techniques, to Emmett's issues with Rosalie and finishing with what shows are good on TV. After the conversation ended Edward checked his e-mail, smiling as he saw one from Bella.

_Dear Edward,_

_I got your poster thanks! Emmett absolutely loved it, we had a fantastic day. It was full of revelations. He told me all about asking out Rosalie Hale, his long time crush, and Phil asked me to call him Dad! How have you been?_

_~ Bella_

Edward's heart was lightened as he read the e-mail, revelling at how open she had become with him in the few short months they had known each other and he hoped he was worthy of such trust.

Deciding not to follow their usual routine, Edward typed in 'Sydney Florists in Campbell town' and dialled the number of the first name that appeared on the screen. He chose a large arrangement of Daffodils and got the lady on the other line to write down the message.


	12. Chapter 12

**Updates will be more frequent now that I am finished the HSC...how ever I got a harvest job which means long hours, so updates won't be fantastic.**

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Chapter 12

The day had started off pretty badly for Bella, she slept through her alarm, burnt her toast and her phone went off in the lecture, drawing everyone's gaze towards her. When she finally got home from the tedious lecture, she was greeted with a lovely surprise. The bouquet of daffodils stood proudly outside her door. The vase was simple in design but beautiful as a whole, matching the sunny flowers inside it perfectly. She bent over to pick up the flowers, fumbled with her keys and pushed through the door, leaving it wide open as she placed the flowers down. She was admiring them when she noticed a card.

_Dear Bella,_

_A lovely bouquet of flowers for a lovely girl._

_I am glad your night was great, and I am glad I could help out with the poster._

_My life is pretty much the same as usual; it isn't BMX season so I am limited to training and doing the occasional interview._

_-Edward_

Smiling openly, she quickly sent an e-mail of thanks and then placed the vase in the middle of the coffee table, not caring that it blocked the view of the TV.

The weeks melted into each other, the days were filled with quick e-mails, short chats or daydreams about one another. Edward constantly sent flowers and chocolates to her apartment whenever they were unable to get in contact for more than a few days. Edward had never felt his heart so light in his entire life and his face was permanently plastered with a smile.

"Alright, I will bite, what has got you so happy?" Jasper asked one night when he had Edward over to have dinner with his wife.

"Life." Edward replied, smirking as he thought about the real reason why he was so happy.

"I am serious man, what is it? We haven't even told you the good news and you're smiling like a kid in a candy store."

"Good news? What good news?" Edward asked, eyeing Jasper and his wife Jane suspiciously.

"You tell me what put the dopey grin on your face and then we'll share."

"Ok, but don't laugh."

"We promise" Jasper said, reaching over to clasp his wife's hand.

"Ok, you know that girl that approached me about the poster?" Edward began, keeping a wary eye on Jasper.

"Yes."

"Well we have been talking a lot lately, and I really enjoy it. I am planning a trip to go visit her on her birthday in a couple of weeks." Edward finished off, joining the last sentence into one big long word and staring at his silver cutlery. There was a stunned silence. "Well?" Edward asked.

"Well what?" Jasper replied, his voice controlled.

"What inevitable criticism and annoying judgement do you have about this?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yes nothing, stop repeating me."

"Well. I am shocked. So what's the good news?" Edward asked, remembering Jasper's side of the deal.

"Well… Alice and I, well Alice really…" Jasper tried to begin, stumbling over his words awkwardly. "We'd been trying for a while...and now we succeeded. You know..."

"What Jazz is trying to say is, I'm pregnant!" Alice finished, squeezing Jasper's hand, her face positively glowing.

"That's fantastic!" Edward exclaimed, pushing back from the chair to hug Jasper and Alice. "How far along are you?"

"About 11 weeks." She replied as Edward retook his place on the other side of the table.

"That's great, congratulations guys. Really, you two will make fantastic parents." Still grinning from ear to ear, they all began to eat dinner.

When Edward got home the evening, he booked the flight and the hotel and spent hours searching the internet for the perfect restaurant. With that done, he checked the Time zones and called Bella's mother.

"Renee Dywer speaking," answered a deep female voice.

"Hello, this is Edward Cullen." Edward began.

"Ha ha pull the other one. Who is it really?" Renee rolled her eyes at how stupid the caller thought she was.

"No, I am, seriously. I signed the poster for your son and daughter, Emmett and Bella." He assured, slightly amused at the woman's disbelief.

"Oh my god."

"Yes, anyway, I need your family's help with something, only, you cannot tell Bella…." He stressed his last point and then delved into his plan.


End file.
